Dear friends,
I do not make New Year’s resolutions, but I do believe in setting an intention, a kavanah, for the year to come. Kavanah is the Hebrew word for direction, intention, or purpose. Sages and scholars over the years have considered proper kavanah essential to the performance of mitzvot. In God in Search of Man, Abraham Joshua Heschel explained that performing a mitzvah without the right kavanah is insufficient, because, even if it positively impacts the world, the doer of the mitzvah is not affected. In 2025, I want to be affected. I want to be changed for the better by actions I take for myself, my family, my community, and the Jewish people.
As 2025 begins, there is still much to worry about. 101 hostages still remain in captivity, now for an inconceivable 455 days. Israel remains at war and the Middle East is being reshaped at an incredibly rapid pace. Waking up to the horrific terror attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day made clear that our world is still highly volatile, and that security must be a priority for us all. Antisemitism continues to rise in frightening ways, at home and around the world.
Against all of this darkness, my kavanah this year comes in two parts. First, I want to turn my worry, and help others turn theirs, into positive action. I want to turn worry into activism, not just fighting against, but fighting for. Fighting for the safety of Israel and her people. Fighting for our own ability to live loud, proud, and meaningful Jewish lives. Fighting for Jewish joy. In many ways, the events of the past 15 months have brought us to a crossroads. We can choose to retreat in the face of adversity, or we can choose to embrace our Jewish identity, strengthen our bonds with our community, and lean into Jewish Joy. To meet this moment with determination and courage. That is my choice.
The second part of my kavanah this year comes from Pirkei Avot, chapter 4, in a quote attributed to Ben Zoma: “Who is wise? One who learns from every person.” I have written and spoken about this quote many times, but it is not always easy to live by its teaching. Since October 7th, we have often found ourselves “fighting against” those who vilify Israel, who traffic in antisemitic tropes, and even against those in our own community who hold a different worldview. At this moment of incredible complexity, I find it increasingly important to truly listen and make the extra effort to understand and learn from all perspectives. It is essential for Federation to be as inclusive as possible of our entire Jewish community and to work toward building bridges beyond it.
This year, we are launching two new programs focused on teens that exemplify these kavanot.
Student to Student will bring diverse teams of Jewish teens into parochial and public schools, where these articulate and passionate young people will share their experience of what it means to be Jewish, all that is meaningful, beautiful, fulfilling, and joyful. These teens, in teams that represent multiple facets of our rich Jewish community, will explain our holidays, what aspects of the Jewish experience they find most important, and replace vague stereotypes and ignorance with understanding and appreciation. The program will foster cultural understanding and will build confidence and camaraderie among the teens who take part.
Our new San Diego community teen Israel trip, Israel Unfiltered, launches this summer. Thanks to a generous gift from the Zeff family, this trip will be highly accessible, and all teens are welcome, regardless of how they identify with Judaism or their level of connection to their Jewish background. This immersive three-week journey through the heart of Israel offers rising high school juniors and seniors a chance to explore Israel as it truly is, vibrant, complex, and deeply meaningful. This isn't just a three-week sightseeing tour; it's an immersive experience designed to help teens connect with the past and discover their place in the rich tapestry of Jewish culture. Teens on this trip will have the chance to “step into the story,” with new friends for life and a clearer sense of their own place within the Jewish community, and relationship to Israel. To learn more, join us for an information session on Sunday, January 5, or sign up for a virtual session on January 16.
I hope that 2025 will be a year where we all find ways to worry less and do more, a year in which we are all enriched by learning from others with worldviews that differ from our own. I hope that 2025 sees the return of the hostages, and an end to the war in Israel. And I hope that 2025 brings us all many more powerful moments of Jewish joy.
Heidi Gantwerk, President & CEO
Jewish Federation of San Diego
